Exercise and amusement device for use in the water

ABSTRACT

An exercise and amusement device is for use in the water and includes a tethered, air-impervious, soft envelope symmetrical about a horizontal axis. Closures at the ends of the envelope keep it air and water tight. Within the envelope are partitions movable with difficulty through some contained water. Included are inner tubes or similar buoyant devices filled with air and assisting to support the envelope on the interior. The device is used very much as a natural log is used in birling.

United States Patent [1 1 Ung [451 July 24, 1973 EXERCISE AND AMUSEMENT DEVICE FOR USE IN THE WATER [76] Inventor: Harry L. Ung, 446 Hemlock Ave.,

South San Francisco, Calif.

[22] Filed: Oct. 18, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 190,125

2,381,394 8/1945 Beach, Jr. 9/8 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 8,390 6/1916 Great Britain 9/11 A Primary ExaminerRichard C. Pinkham Assistant ExaminerR. T. Stouffer Attorney-Marcus Lothrop et al.

[57] ABSTRACT An exercise and amusement device is for use in the water and includes a tethered, air-impervious, soft envelope symmetrical about a horizontal axis. Closures at the ends of the envelope keep it air and water tight. Within the envelope are partitions movable with difficulty through some contained water. Included are inner tubes or similar buoyant devices filled with air and as sisting to support the envelope on the interior. The device is used very much as a natural log is used in birling.

2 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures Ixxxxxxl PATENTEB 3mm 1 ur 3 XXXXXX XXXX XXxx INVENTOR. HARPYL. a/VG BY PAIENIEUJULZMBH mu 3 or 3 ATTORNEY EXERCISE AND AMUSEMENT DEVICE FOR USE IN THE WATER The sport of birling involves the use of an approximately circular-cylindrical, elongated natural log, often with the bark on, floating in the water and rotated about its own horizontal, approximate axis by a contestant or player who stands on the log and by moving his feet appropriately spins the log. Two contestants usually face in opposite directions. Each tries to rotate the log in such a fashion as to maintain his own support and equilibrium while dislodging the opponent. One of the hazards is that in the case of a fall there is a possibility of relatively serious injury. Furthermore, the birling log or birl is movable without restraint and may require a relatively large body of water for its use. Additionally, the birling log is of considerable length and diameter. Particularly when it is wet it is quite heavy and cannot readily be moved from one body of water to another.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide an amusement and exercising device which is readily substituted for a natural birling log.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a device that is readily portable from one body of water to another.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a device that is safe to use, although still allowing much or all of the sport of birling.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a device that can easily and readily be manufactured and which will maintain its condition over a protracted period of use.

A further object of the invention is in general to provide a greatly improved exercise and amusement device.

Other objects together with the foregoing are attained in the embodiments of the invention described in the accompanying description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a device installed in a swimming pool or other body of water foruse, a portion of the outer envelope being broken away to disclose the interior construction generally on a longitudinal vertical plane with some interior parts being shown in partial side elevation;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged isometric view of one end of the structure, portions being broken away generally ona vertical longitudinal plane and other portions being broken away to disclose some details of construction;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section; the plane of which is indicated by the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlargeddetail of some of thestructure shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view somewhat similar to FIG. 1' but showing a modified form of construction;

FIG. 6 is an enlargement of the structure generally shown at one end of FIG. 5, portions being broken away to reduce the size of the figure;

FIG. 7 is a cross-section, the plane of which is indicated by the line 7-7 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a side elevation of a modified form of device; and

FIG. 9 is a view of the modified form of device, the structure being shown generally in a transverse, vertical cross section, the plane of section being indicated by the line 99 of FIG. 8.

While the exercise and amusement device can be variously constructed and utilized, it has with considerable success been embodied as shown particularly in FIGS. 1-4 inclusive, in which the device is easiy utilized in the water 6 of an enclosure such as a swimming pool, although any suitable body of water is appropriate. The device includes an outer envelope 7, usually of a relatively soft materail such as pliable plastic or rubber, either in its pure form or with some covering or reinforcement so that physical contact by the user with the covering is pleasant and is safe. Sometimes an outer covering of carpet-like material is employed. The body or envelope 7 is generally of circular-cylindrical configuration symmetrical about a central axis 8. In one form a convenient diameter for the envelope is approximately 2.feet, and a conveient length is approximately 12, feet, although various diameters and lengths can just as readily be provided, always bearing in mind that the structure is for use by humans'in the water and should therefore be of adequate size for their use and to support them.

The envelope 7 is preferably formed with open ends slightly reinforced by a circular bead 9. at each end to receive a closure plate 11 and a closure disc 12. These are held together by fastenings 13. The inner one is easily positioned by distortion of the envelope material. When the plate and disc are in place, the ends of the envelope are held in a generally disc-like configuration and are appropriatelysealed against'ingress and egress of water or air. As an alternative form of seal, it is effective to mold the envelope with relatively thin pouches 14 at the ends. These can be infolded after molding and actin lieu of other sealing means, as shown-in dotted lines in FIG. 2.

Since the two ends are conveniently alike, the description of one applies equally to the other. Each of the end plates 11' has a central hub 15 to'which is secured a swivel eye 16 receiving a tethering line 17 which can extend either to an anchor substantially on the axis 8 or can extend to an anchornear the bottom of the pool. The point is topermit free rotation of the envelope 7 about the axis8'but to prevent'the envelope from straying too faraway fromadesired pointof use.

In addition to the anchor or tether '17, there is provided through the closureplate 11, when thehub 15 is removed, an opening 18 affording ready access to the interior of the envelope, so that theevenlope'can 'be filled with water toany extent desired. Usually the'filling isto a level approximately equal to that of the surface of the water body 6.

Within the envelope means are provided to afford some division of the envelope into individualcompartments which, while in communicatiomare only in communication through relatively small passages. -For example, as particularly shown in FIG. 3, the'envelope is augmented by a number of membranes 21 extending diametrically across the envelope, being secured metrical membrane 21 is in many cases adequate, it is preferred in other instances to provide additional diametrical membranes such as 31 and 32, shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 3, as alternate constructions.

When the envlope 7 is partially filled with water and is rotated, the membranes 32 initially have considerable difficulty in accelerating the water between them so that the users task of mounting the device from the water is somewhat facilitated. On the other hand, after the device has been rotated at a relatiely rapid rate for a short period of time, the water inside tends to move with the membranes and prolongs the rotation of the device beyond the point otherwise expected.

In addition to the interior compartmentalization, the device is provided with additional, interior buoyancy and support by a number of toroidal hollow chambers 33 very much like automotive tire inner tubes. They are rubberized envelopes having stems 34 through which the tubes can be inflated. Conveniently the tubes are confined by the membrane walls surroudning the openings 28 and serve to afford a more or less uniform support along the entire length of the envelope. The tubes 33 are inflated to a modest pressure and have sufficient additional byoyancy to maintain the preferred attitude of the envelope. So that the various tubes can be initially inflated and later deflated, each of them has a tube 36 extending from the stem 34 to a protector sleeve 37 piercing the envelope 7 (or piercing the closure plate 11 for the envelope) and terminating at the surface thereof. The tube 36, being flexible, can be initially withdrawn from the sleeve 37 for inflation, can then be folded over and bound after inflation and flnally tucked back into the sleeve 37 ready for retrieval when necessary. Conversely, when it is desird to deflate the tubes 33, each tube 36 can be withdrawn from its sleeve, the lashing removed and the air dissipated.

For use, this device is anchored at a suitable location with some freedome to float and bob about. The interior is partially filled with water, leaving some air entrapped therein. In addition, the tubes 33 are lightly inflated to afford additional buoyancy. The device is then ready for exercise and play, with contestants or users clambering on and off of the device, attempting to rotate it with their bodies or their feet and, if in contest, being thrown off and being able to clamber on again.

When the device need no longer be used in any one location it can be taken out of the water, the anchor tether 17 removed, the hub 15 removed from the opening 18, and the contained water drained out. Similarly, the air can be removed from the tubes 33. The entire affair can then be foled and packed in a small compass for transport to another location or later use and then reerected by an inverse process.

An shown in FIGS. -7 inclusive, there is provided a somewhat similar device including an envelope S0 of similar construction symmetrical, as a generally right circular cylinder, about a central axis 51. In this instance the open end portion 52 of the envelope is closed by a spherical ball 53. This is an integral unit and is capable of retaining a charge of air, thus adding to the buoyancy. In one instance there can be provided a substantially water tight joint between the envelope 50 and the ball afforded by a bead 54 around the opening in the envelope matching a circular ledge 56 on the ball. It is also possible to include a flexible closure 57 which is integral with or is sealed tightly to the envelope 50 and encompasses the ball so that leakage cannot occur. Preferably the ball 53 includes a short cross bar 58 to which a swivel 59 is attached for anchorage to a tether line 60 as before.

The interior of the device is divided into partially connected or partially isolated compartments by a pluraity of axially extending radial membranes 61, 62 and 63. At their outermost portions these are secured to the envelope 50 and at their inner portions meet along the axis 51. The membranes serve as paddles within the envelpe so that water which partially fills the envelope exerts some impetus to or restraint on the users braking or turning effort on the envelope. In the present instance, the envelope is also provided with a pair of centrally located, buoyant, air-containing tubes 64 and 66 connected substantially as previously described and assisting in elevating or maintaining the position of the central portion of the device.

Since the membranes 61, 62 and 63 are relatively flexible in most instances, the envelope 50, also eing flexible, can distort and yield under use. But if desired, stiffness can readily be imparted by making the membranes 61, 62 and 63 of a relatively stiff material so that they do not distort or bend, but maintain their position and thus assist in rigidifying the envelope 50,.

The use of this form of the device is substantially as previously described. For transportation, the device can readily be dismantled, first by collapsing the balls 53 and withdrawing them through the ends 52 of the envelope, and then by collapsing or rotating the membranes 61, 62 and 63 into appropriate positions following deflation of the tubes 64 and 66. The device can be reassembled and inflated as before for subsequent op eration.

As a special form of the device somewhat simpler in construction, there is provided, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, an envelope 71 symmetrical about a predtermined longitudinal axis 72 but, being a sphere, is also symmetrical about all other central axes. The ball or sphere 71 is provided with axial openings 73 and 74, each of which is appropriately sealed by an air-filled ball 76 and 77, as before. The central axis 72 is continued by tether lines 78 and 79 connected to the balls by swivels, also as previously described. In this instance particularly, an interior tether 81 is joined to both balls and precludes their being blown out should the pressure within the ball 71 be large.

The interior of the ball 71 is conveniently divided into compartments with relatively easy communication between them by flexible membranes 82. These pass around the central tether 81 and are preferably secured to the interior surface of the ball 71. This device is provided with an inflation opening 83 having a closure 84 available. The interior of the ball can be inflated, say, to a few pounds per square inch pressure after an appropriate amount of water has been admitted thereto. In one example the ball 71 is 36 inches in diameter and is inflated to about 1 pound per square inch pressure, with the contained water weighing about 700 pounds. Each of the air balls 76 and 77 is approximately 1% feet in diameter and when containing air at approximate 4 pounds per square inch pressure has a lifting effect or buoyancy of about 9l pounds.

This device is utilized as are the others, and in all instances it has been found by pleasant experience that the devices afford excellent exercise and amusement to one or more people of various ages and skills. Although and additionally which walls are fastened to said envelope for dividing the interior of said envelope at least partially into compartments symmetrical about said axis, said device including flexible toroidal tubes concentric with said axis within and in contact with said envelope and axially spaced by said dividing means for retaining air under pressure.

2. A device as in claim 1 in which said soft, pliable envelope, when said air retaining means are inflated, is

an elongated circular cylinder. 

1. An exercise and amusement device for use in the water comprising an air-impervious, soft, pliable, circular-cylindrical envelope symmetrical about an axis and having open ends; means at the ends of said envelope and on said axis for closing said open ends of said envelope; and means within said envelope including axially extending, radial walls, which walls are foldable wherein the entire device may be folded by packing, and additionally which walls are fastened to said envelope for dividing the interior of said envelope at least partially into compartments symmetrical about said axis, said device including flexible toroidal tubes concentric with said axis within and in contact with said envelope and axially spaced by said dividing means for retaining air under pressure.
 2. A device as in claim 1 in which said soft, pliable envelope, when said air retaining means are inflated, is an elongated circular cylinder. 